Sunday, October 24, 1999 Published at 12:17 GMT 13:17 UKUK Politics'Cackhanded' Lords reform attackedCritics say Lords reforms will lead to cronyismThe government has been urged to drop its "cackhanded" attempt at House of Lords reform and wait for a Royal Commission report in eight weeks' time.

Conservative peers leader Lord Strathclyde told the BBC's Breakfast With Frost programme that the government should abandon the House of Lords Bill, due to face the final legislative hurdle of a third reading on Tuesday.

The Bill will strip the rights of 700 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords, and leave only bishops and life peers remaining.